Los Angeles, Jan 16 (.) Paramount has officially greenlit the true-crime limited series Fear Not, with Anne Hathaway set to headline the project, Variety has learned.
The series is based on Julie Miller’s Vanity Fair article, “True Crime, True Faith: The Serial Killer and the Texas Mom Who Stopped Him.” Bash Doran is adapting the piece for television.
According to the official logline, Fear Not chronicles the story of prolific serial killer Stephen Morin, accused of more crimes than Ted Bundy, and the unexpected bond he formed with Margy Palm (played by Hathaway), the final woman he abducted.
What began as a terrifying captive situation took an unforeseen turn marked by compassion, prayer, and extraordinary courage. Palm’s unwavering faith and belief that Morin could change ultimately shaped a relationship that continued long after she was released, lasting until Morin was sentenced to death.
In addition to starring, Hathaway will serve as an executive producer through her Somewhere Pictures banner alongside Adam Shulman and Johnathan Rice, as per Variety.
Steve Stark and Stacey Levin executive produce for Toluca Pictures, with Helen Eastbrook representing Vanity Fair Studios. Margy, Bart, and Noelle Palm are also executive producers. The series is being produced by MGM Television.
‘Fear Not’ adds to Paramount ’s growing slate of female-led series following the Paramount–Skydance merger. Under the leadership of Cindy Holland, Chair of DTC for Paramount, and Jane Wiseman, Head of Originals for Paramount , the platform has been prioritizing women-driven storytelling.
Recent examples include the straight-to-series legal drama Discretion, starring Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning.
“At Paramount , we are always looking for stories that captivate and entertain our audience,” said Wiseman.
“By grounding this chilling true story in the lived experience of our protagonist, Anne brings a level of nuance and gravity that only a performer of her caliber can. We’re thrilled to collaborate with Anne, Bash, and this exceptional team.”
The project marks another high-profile television venture for Doran, who recently co-wrote the Hulu drama pilot Foster Dade with Greg Berlanti and has a separate pilot, How to Survive Without Me, in development at HBO Max.
Her previous credits include Boardwalk Empire, Masters of Sex, Traitors, and Life After Life. She also served as a consulting producer on Netflix’s Beef and wrote the film Outlaw King.
For Hathaway, Fear Not is among the few starring television roles in her acclaimed career. She made her screen debut in the TV series Get Real and more recently appeared in Apple TV’s WeCrashed.
The Oscar and Golden Globe winner is best known for films such as Les Misérables, Rachel Getting Married, The Devil Wears Prada, The Dark Knight Rises, and Brokeback Mountain. She will next be seen in the Devil Wears Prada sequel and Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey.
Doran is represented by UTA, Untitled Entertainment, and Schreck Rose, while Hathaway is repped by CAA, Entertainment 360, and Sloane Offer. Toluca Pictures is represented by CAA and Myman Greenspan.
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